The weekly TRC industry digest - a round-up of the international racing news from the past week.
The latest Hall of Famers
North America: Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, seven-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Todd Pletcher, and 13-time champion steeplechase trainer Jack Fisher have been voted into America’s National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame.
Fisher was chosen by the Museum's Steeplechase Review Committee, which meets once every four years. American Pharoah and Pletcher were elected in the contemporary category in their first year of eligibility.
“He’s certainly among the all-time greats. I don't think there is any question about that,” said Bob Baffert, the trainer of American Pharoah. “He did everything so effortlessly and with such class. The way he moved, his mechanics were absolutely flawless. He also has such a wonderful personality.”
Pletcher, North America’s all-time leader in career earnings with over $405 million, said, “It’s a tremendous honor and something I never could have thought was possible when I first started on my own. I’ve been very fortunate and blessed to get some incredible opportunities along the way. I have a tremendous support staff.
“It’s not so much an individual award. There’s a lot of people who play a role in it. I couldn’t be more humbled and honoured.”
‘Buff’ Bradley’s retirement date
North America: William ‘Buff’ Bradley has announced his retirement from training, effective shortly after the Churchill Downs spring meet ends on June 26.
The 57-year-old will remain in the industry as a small-scale breeder and owner, as well as having plans to “help horsemen on the frontside”.
“Things have changed in the business,” he said, “but beyond that, when my father died almost five years ago, that really changed things for me personally. I love the horses, and I love training, but too many things are different now in my own particular situation.
“It’s kind of sad, yes, but I have had a pretty good run. You always wish you could’ve had a horse in the Kentucky Derby, but maybe one that I breed or own will be there someday. I’ll miss this very much, but moving forward I hope to enjoy my next venture, too.”
Bradley has 575 wins in a career dating to 1993, with Brass Hat, Groupie Doll, Divisidero, and The Player being his top performers.
BHA’s new whip consultation group
Europe: The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) has confirmed the membership of a Whip Consultation Steering Group, which will have responsibility for oversight of the process and decision-making in relation to the forthcoming consultation regarding the use of the foam-padded whip in British racing.
The 15-strong panel includes individuals from across the industry, such as champion trainer John Gosden, flat jockey P J McDonald, jump jockey Tom Scudamore, broadcaster Nick Luck and Ascot Racecourse’s Nick Smith.
The group is chaired by racecourse committee member and owner David Jones, who is also an independent regulatory director on the board of the BHA.
Melody Belle’s farewell journey begins
Oceania: Reigning New Zealand horse of the year Melody Belle will embark on the first steps of her final racing journey at the Gold Coast on Saturday.
“She’s had such a wonderful career, but we're not going to Queensland to make up the numbers,” Richards, said. “Everything seems to have gone according to plan. We were pretty happy with her trial at Rosehill last week and Ashley [Handley, travelling attendant] is happy with the way she has progressed since then.
“Over 1800m on Saturday, she might be a shade vulnerable. We're expecting her to take benefit from this weekend’s race with a view to having her at her peak for the Doomben Cup over 2000m at her next start.”
Already this year, Melody Belle has won twice at G1 level, in the Thorndon Mile (1600m) at Trentham and the New Zealand Stakes (2000m) at Ellerslie. She made up good ground to finish sixth in last month’s G1 Tancred Stakes (2400m) at Rosehill.
Elsewhere in racing …
Oceania: Mufhasa and Starcraft have been inducted into the New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame. More here
Asia: Japan’s Deep Bond, the 11th highest-ranked Japanese horse in the TRC Global Rankings at #56, is beingh aimed at the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe on October, as well as the G2 Prix Foy on Arc Trials Day in September. More here
Europe: The BHA will implement a saliva-based testing pilot to screen jockeys for cocaine. More here